disclaimer- i don't own yugioh or hilary duff's 'come clean'.
Epilogue- Tears Like Rain
Pitter-patter
The rain hit the window of Yugi's room like it was trying to wake him itself. When the boy didn't stir, the rain rapped on the window again, reminding him not to sleep in. The surrounding clouds that hung over his house however, told him to stay in bed and mourn.
Yugi drearily opened one eye and watched the rain splatter on the pane. It had been several days since his best friend's death, and he still felt responsible, no matter what their last conversation had been like.
Yugi's eyes became unfocused as he thought about what had to be done today. Joey's funeral.
Let's go back
Back to the beginning
Back to when the earth, the sun, the
stars all aligned
'Cause perfect didn't feel so perfect
Trying to fit a square into a circle
Was no lie
I defy
The previous day, he and his other friends waited at the airport to see Serenity and her mother come back to Japan. When they told the rest of what had happened, Serenity burst into tears and locked herself in the bathroom of her hotel room.
Her reaction, as miserable as it was, was the least odd. When they had, of course, told Kaiba and Mokuba the news, it was completely out of the ordinary. Mokuba's jaw dropped, and he was at a loss for words, not entirely out of concern, but out of surprise.
Kaiba's reaction was much more unbelievable. At first, it looked like he'd reprimand Joey for getting hit by a car and then just leave it like that. But when their words sunk in, Kaiba could barely make eye contact with anyone else. He actually said he was sorry and, as a way to repay his debt to Joey for being a jerk, he said he'd pay for any expenses without anyone forcing him to.
Pitter-patter
(I guess when drastic things happen...) Yugi left his thought hanging.
"I don't think Kaiba ever did hate Joey..." said a voice.
Yugi looked up, back to the window, and saw, amongst the streams of rain, his yami's reflection staring back at him. He turned around to see the pharaoh in his spirit form sitting on the edge of the bed. "... he's just too stubborn to admit it." finished Yami.
Yugi nodded, wiping away some tear beads on his eyes, "Yeah. So, how long have you been awake?"
Yami looked back to the window where the rain had yet to let up, "I don't know. A few hours perhaps." He sighed, "The rain is soothing to me right now. It's as though the whole world wishes for Joey to live again. As the old saying goes, 'misery loves company'."
Let the rain fall down
And wake my dreams
Let it wash away
My sanity
'cause I wanna feel the thunder
I wanna scream
Let the rain fall down
I'm coming clean, I'm coming clean
His hikari also stared at the window, watching the way the rain flowed down it, "It is soothing, comforting in a way." Yugi rested his head on his pillow.
"You don't have to go, if you don't want to," Yami put his hand on Yugi's shoulder, "I'm sure Joey wouldn't want you to do anything you weren't comfortable with."
Yugi shook his head, "I'm going. I just have to." Yugi stood up and walked into the bathroom to freshen up. His eyes were reddened and puffy from crying in his sleep and his face looked thin and worn out. His hair drooped slightly from him rolling around during the night.
When he finished, he walked back to his room to see Yami still watching the rain, "Yami, do you want something to eat?" Though to him, he hadn't wanted to eat that much for the last few days.
The previous king looked to Yugi and shook his head, "No, but arigato." Yugi nodded and walked downstairs on his own. He didn't have any intention on having breakfast either, but he needed his own place to mourn.
I'm shedding
Shedding every color
Trying to find a pigment of truth
Beneath my skin
'cause different
Doesn't feel so different
And going out is better
Then always staying in
Feel the wind
He sat down at the counter of the game shop, head in his hands. It feels like it was just yesterday when Joey came bounding in here and bought his first Duel Monsters cards. Or when he and Kaiba first encountered each other.
Yugi reached into the box of card packs and took one out. Ripping it open, he saw Joey's favorite card on top, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon. That was the card he won from Rex Raptor in Duelist Kingdom in his second official duel. Ever since that game, the two of them bonded together like the best of friends. His Red-Eyes must be in pain right now, knowing its master won't be able to use it again.
Pitter-patter
Let the rain fall down
And wake my dreams
Let it wash away
My sanity
'cause I wanna feel the thunder
I wanna scream
Let the rain fall down
I'm coming clean, I'm coming clean
The rain continued to pour all during Joey's funeral; it, inadvertantly, kept the mood depressed all throughout the day, not that anyone thought that they wouldn't be.
Pitter-patter
The group gathered at a coffee shop, just to be together and to be strong. Kaiba and Yugi ended up sitting together.
Yugi looked into the sky, "With this rain, it feels lonely for some reason. Whenever it rains, people want to be away from it; when people are depressed and sad, people want to be away from them so they don't darken their day." He looked down at his drink, "I feel like if I cry and let all my feelings out, people won't want to be with me, because I'll bring them down with me.
Pitter-patter
"Do you know what I mean?" he turned to see his companion.
The executive continued staring out the window at the rain, "No." Yugi looked downcast before Kaiba continued, "I mean, I don't understand how you can feel that way."
The tri-haired boy stood up quickly, "How can't you! One of our friends just died!" An 'hem-hem' from the other side of the shop brought him out of his rage and he sat down, "Gomen." He took a sip of his drink to calm him. "How can't you?" he asked again.
"People don't appreciate this rain, even though it has it's purpose," explained Kaiba. "The rain washes away dirt and filth in the air. It makes it easier on us to breath and just live." He turned to watch Yugi's reaction, "Maybe this rain, maybe it's Joey's way of trying to get rid of himself and his memory so we don't live in misery forever." He watched the rain drops fall for a few more seconds before taking Mokuba and the both of them going home.
I'm coming clean
Let the rain fall
Let the rain fall
I'm coming clean
Yugi now watched the rain on his own. Each drop went down the glass, leaving no trace of any grime that was on it earlier.
Is that what you're doing Joey? Washing away the pain, so we can go on with our lives without you? It would be so much easier for me and the others, I'm sure. We wouldn't have to wake up each morning, dreading that you were really gone. We wouldn't have to remember all the things you've done for us and regret never thanking you for them. It would be wonderful to be at peace like that. But I think I would rather have only known you for one day, than to have never been able to meet you at all.
You've really changed me from the poor sap that I used to be. You said before that you were toughening me up for the world. Well, I guess your work is done. Arigato, Joey. And goodbye.
Let the rain fall down
And wake my dreams
Let it wash away
My sanity
'cause I wanna feel the thunder
I wanna scream
Let the rain fall down
I'm coming clean
Let's go back
Back to the beginning
The End
hm, it might be the end at the rate the sequel's moving along. i don't even know if i'll try to write it, the ending seems good enough and it's not like anybody seems to like this one. ah, well, no more pity party here. must write! (glint in eyes) go check out my other stories i've got posted, i think they're much better anyway!